THING

THING; Fleece Fabric: Not Just for Skiing Anymore

By DAN SHAW

Published: February 5, 1995

WHAT: Polartec, the soft, cozy, synthetic fleece fabrics by Malden Mills of Lawrence, Mass. Manufacturers like L. L. Bean, Timberland and North Face turn Polartec into outerwear for everything from skiing and kayaking to walking the dog. ALIASES: Whether it's called Polarfleece, Polarplus, Polarlite (all Malden trademarks) or Synchilla (Patagonia's version), it's basically the same thing: knitted polyester occasionally mixed with materials like Lycra or nylon to make it more form-fitting. BEYOND THE GREAT OUTDOORS: Henri Bendel started selling a private-label Polartec shirt with pinked edges ($98) last June. Now, the store is making Polartec cardigans, vests, A-line skirts, baseball jackets and leggings in 18 fashion colors like sage, maize and cappuccino. Nicole Miller's fall collection featured Polartec skirts, dresses and twin sets, and J. Crew recently added a Polartec bathrobe ($78) to its catalogue. THE ATHLETES' CASE FOR POLARTEC: The fabric -- Malden makes it in 100 varieties and nearly 5,000 colors, prints and patterns -- is lightweight but extremely warm, and it dries quickly; garments meant to be worn next to the skin have anti-microbial properties, meaning they are hypoallergenic and resist mildew. And unlike wool or cashmere, Polartec can be thrown into the washing machine. The labels even say, "Do not dry clean." Malden Mills, which is privately owned, said Polartec's popularity had caused the company to grow at an annual rate of 20 percent for the last decade. Last year, the company had worldwide sales of $400 million. THE ENVIRONMENTALISTS' CASE FOR POLARTEC: Since 1993, Malden has been offering its Recycled Series -- Polartec made in part from recycled clear plastic soda bottles. About 15 large bottles are used per jacket. Malden estimates that it will use more than eight million pounds of recycled plastic this year (about 140 million bottles). GROUNDS FOR APPEAL: "Customers have reacted viscerally to the feel of this fabric -- it's warm, cuddly and plush," said Gail Goldberg, a divisional merchandise manager at Bendel's. "It's the Rolls-Royce of fleece fabrications." FIRST EXPERT WITNESS: "I live in a Polartec cocoon," said Sandy Pittman, the New York socialite, who has climbed the tallest peaks on all five continents and has traveled to both the North and South Poles. "I was one of the last converts to it, because I tend to be a traditionalist. But after a soggy trip to the Arctic in wool knickers, I became a man-made-fiber gal."

Ms. Pittman can't get enough of the stuff. "I saw those great pieces at Bendel's and bought one of everything!" she said. "I don't need to wear my technical pieces with gusseted arms and high-altitude zips while sitting in my New York apartment." SECOND EXPERT WITNESS: "I just wore one of my dresses to go ice skating," Nicole Miller said. "It's the greatest fabric. It's more comfortable and versatile than wool. It's putting the ski-sweater business out of business. I feel the possibilities for it are unlimited. I'm thinking of making little suits out of it to wear to the office." THIRD EXPERT WITNESS: "I have a piece in every closet in my house," said Joan Alvarez, publisher and editorial director of Outdoor Retailer, a trade magazine. "Anything that you can make out of fleece makes sense, whether for your head, hands or body." A SMALL DISSENT: "Personally, I wouldn't wear a dress made out of it," continued Ms. Alvarez, who likes to wear a fleece sweater over her nightgown for early morning gardening. "If you're talking about a garment that will add a half an inch to your butt, well, not a lot of women would like that." DAN SHAW

Photo: Even Bendel's has embraced Polartec. (Jack Manning/The New York Times)